Pakistan becomes only the 2nd Muslim country to become Associate Member of CERN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday became only the second Muslim country to become an Associate Member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN).

The first Muslim state was Turkey which became an associate member last year. Pakistan is also the first non-European country to achieve this status, which is a tribute to the dedicated scientists, technicians and engineers of Pakistan as well as its diplomats who have made this possible.

The agreement between Pakistan and CERN for Associate Membership was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on December 19, 2014 in Islamabad by Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and the Director General of CERN.

The agreement took effect upon submission of the instrument of ratification today (July 31, 2015) by Ambassador Zamir Akram, Permanent Representative of Pakistan in Geneva, to DG CERN.

Associate Membership of CERN is a recognition of Pakistan’s impressive credentials in the field of science and technology in general and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy in particular.

Pakistan has already made significant contributions to CERN’s flagship experimental project, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). As an Associate Member of CERN, Pakistan looks forward to benefitting from, and contributing more intensively to, the increasingly innovative and challenging scientific initiatives undertaken at CERN.

Deeper involvement in such initiatives will bring long term benefits to the people of Pakistan and contribute to our socio-economic development through the use of scientific breakthroughs and innovative technologies.